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Monday, March 30, 2015

Study, find all the good teachers and study with them, get involved in
acting to act, not to be famous or for the money. Do plays. It's not
worth it if you are just in it for the money. You have to love it." -
Philip Seymour Hoffman

Everyone gets nervous in auditions. Some of us show it,
and some of us know how to cover it up. When you walk into a room, your
body language can say, “I’m really sorry for the audition you are about
to see,” or it can say, “This is going to be fun!” Some of the best
actors can crumble in the audition room, and an actor with very little
skill but lots of confidence can come in and book the job. It’s
important to learn how to master the beast that is auditioning, and
understand what makes an audition stand out.

Here are seven things that are essential to every good audition. If
you keep these in mind, you will be grounded in the scene, focused, your
nerves will dissolve, and you will stand out from the pack.

1. Confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself,
nobody else will. The audition starts the moment you walk into the room,
so find a way to be relaxed, and project unshakeable confidence.

If you
don’t have it, fake it.

This is all about body language and eye
contact, so walk into the room with your head up, shoulders back, with
total focus and relaxation. It’s the kind of confidence that makes
people trust you, and allows them to feel they can put you on set or on
stage tomorrow and you will be fine and not waste their time. You are
prepared, know your job in the scene, your lines, and believe in the
circumstances. Even if you are freaking out inside, you have to “act”
like a confident person. (You are an actor, right?)

2. Character. Don’t worry about what they
are looking for. It’s your job to show them your unique interpretation
of who this character is. Your character has a point of view in the
scene. What is it? Think of three adjectives to describe this person and
write these at the top of the script (annoyed, frustrated, in love,
etc.). If there is a chair in the room, how do they sit in this chair?
What is the character’s body language? How do they speak? The clearer
you are on the character, the more your nerves dissolve, and you can
disappear into this person’s world.

3. Conflict. At the heart of every good scene
is conflict, even if it’s from within. What is at stake in the scene?
What are the characters fighting for? What are the circumstances around
this scene? Find out what that is, and put that nervous energy into how
your character deals with it. If you are very clear on your conflict and
objective, it will dictate the rhythm, inflection, and tone of each
line, and avoid the trap of playing the “result.”

4. Concentration. Take a breath before you
begin the scene. Quiet your mind and concentrate on the moment before.
This involves total emotional and physical commitment, to the character,
to the words, the thoughts, and being totally prepared.

It’s not enough
to just know the lines, you have to live them, and understand what’s behind
the lines. If you are worried about what people are thinking, or your
next line, then you are not fully in the scene.

Find a way to disappear
into this world and make the reader the most important person in the
room, so there isn’t even room for you to be thinking about anything
else. You have to be true to the emotions, and personalize them, so that
your eyes, voice, and body are reflecting those feelings.

5. Connection. Eye contact. Look at the
reader. Who is that person? How do you feel about them? What is that
relationship like? It’s important to listen in a very active way, as if
you are hearing the words for the first time. It should feel like a
real, improvised conversation, not a scene for an acting class.

You have
to absorb the lines and respond from moment to moment. It starts with
the thought that triggers your first line, how you feel at the top of
the scene, and where your character is coming from emotionally before he
or she even starts speaking. It allows you to jump right into the scene
with a strong connection. It should feel like you are the only two
people in the room, and that we are witnessing a private conversation.

6. Clarity. Be clear with your choices. There
is always more than one way to say a line. Pick one. This doesn’t mean
make bold, crazy, irrational choices, it just means make a decision with
each line based on what your character wants. Don’t be safe, and don’t
just glide over the important moments. Do the work at home, but then be
open to direction and flexible on the room, in case you are given an
adjustment.

7. Charisma. This is what makes good auditions
stand out. It’s your essence, your personality, your authentic self.
It’s what you have that nobody else can offer, even when everyone is
reading the same exact script. It’s the magic that you bring to the
lines that make them interesting, unique, and different, with your own
spin on it. It’s that fire in your eyes, alive and energetic, the
thought “behind the eyes”—the art of getting people to want to watch
you.

Good luck!

Matt Newton is
a film and tv acting coach, a professional actor, and the founder of
the MN Acting Studio in New York City, which offers on-camera classes
for all ages and levels. He is also the on-set coach for the CBS show "Blue Bloods," the author of the popular book "10 Steps to Breaking Into Acting,"
(available on Amazon), and teaches classes and workshops all over the
U.S. Matt has coached Golden Globe nominees, Emmy award winners, has
worked as an on set coach on feature films and TV shows, and has been a
guest talent judge on several reality shows. Most recently Matt was the
acting coach for the film “#Horror” starring Chloë Sevigny and Timothy
Hutton, to be released in 2014. As an actor, Matt’s credits include: “Ugly Betty,” “The
Americans,” “Royal Pains,” “Drake and Josh Go Hollywood,” “Criminal
Minds,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Guiding Light,” “Dragnet,” “Men Who Stare at
Goats,” “Van Wilder,” “Poster Boy,” and numerous other TV shows, films,
and commercials.

People often ask me how they can stand out when we see so
many people for each role in commercial casting. For example, a
theatrical casting director may only call in 20 actors for a co-star
role, while we’ll often see 50 or more per role for a commercial
project. That brings your overall chances of booking the job down from
an already measly five-ish percent to just two-ish percent or less!

The answer is simple, and many of you still won’t believe me when I
say it, but it’s true, nonetheless: Just be yourself. You are enough,
just the way you are. No one else looks exactly like you, laughs like
you, walks or talks the way you do. You already are a unique character
with your own essence and mannerisms. It would be nearly impossible for
another actor to perfectly mimic what already is totally effortless and
natural for you.

And yet, so many actors I meet find it so terrifying. They don’t
believe they are interesting enough or entertaining enough or attractive
enough as they are. So, they cover up all that beautiful individuality
and put on a “character” that they think the client is looking for, which is always worse. Always. Why?

Because if we need you to play a character other than yourself, we
will tell you. We will be so clear about it, because if that’s what our
client wants, it’s our job to get that from you. So always start from a
place of just being you. Be fearlessly, unapologetically yourself and
you will start to book like never before. Instead of a bland, generic,
cardboard cutout of what you think will please the client, you’ll be a
real, cool person.

I had a brilliant, handsome, leading-man type theater actor break
down in tears in one of my commercial workshops at the very thought that
he was enough just as he was. He had spent his whole theater career
putting on character after character to the point, he said, that he
didn’t even know who he was, in acting. He’d never just been himself ever, in an acting situation.

Take it from Meryl Streep, arguably one of the best on-camera actors
of all time, who said, “Acting is not about being someone different.
It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then
finding myself in there.”

So, the question changes from, “Should I be myself?” to “Which side
of myself should I be?” All acting is storytelling. Commercials are no
different. They just happen to be very short stories. They also tend to
be very simple, clear stories. On top of that, you have us directing the
session telling you exactly what the story is and what we want you to
do. You don’t have to do any text analysis whatsoever! All you need to
do is what we direct you to do and put your own stank on it while you do
it.

If it’s a silly burger commercial, you’ll be your playful self; the
one you put on when you’re playing with your friends, kids, nieces or
nephews. If it’s a heartfelt testimonial commercial, you’ll be your
chill, down-to-earth, grateful self. Each of us has felt love, lust,
pain, loss, anger, hope, excitement, joy, etc. It’s all within you.

Every story you will ever have to tell as an actor contains elements
that are already within you. Yes, even the twisted stuff—because we’re
all screwed up, too, in our own ways. Hey, we chose to be actors for a
living, didn’t we? How messed up is that?

It will take some time to process and accept that you are enough, but
you are. Get yourself into an acting class environment where you can
explore that. Take all the pressure off yourself to be entertaining and
interesting, and just focus on the story. Just make your choices, do
your preparation and then let go—be yourself and just have an experience.

If you just have an authentic experience, free from any expectations or
focus on outcomes, we will be right there with you. And we will love
you.

This is a question that I get
all the time. Many of you are looking to be proactive but get a little
stuck when it comes to how to market yourself to a casting director when
you haven’t booked anything big. Here is my take on some things that
most of you already do…

1. Casting director workshops. I
know that in L.A. they are huge and many actors are signing up for
them, so here is what I suggest. Learn how to master the audition before you go
to any workshop. It goes against much of what we learn as actors. There
is no“craft” in auditioning however, to me, mastering it is an art
form. Now here is a terrible reality that many of you know I am getting
vocal about…. I have worked with over 400 actors many of them working
and not one—not one—has known how to dominate the material and
kill it in the room. That might sound aggressive but please realize that
when you do these workshops you are going up against actors who have
been doing this for years—actors who are seen by casting directors
because their agents have submitted them. I have already offended a few
people because I am going against traditional training in my work. I
respect and honor the craft and bow down to the greats—I would not be
where I am today without learning their methods. However, if you are an
actor and you are auditioning for any type of film or TV then I highly
suggest you learn the art of auditioning first…otherwise you are wasting
your very valuable time and money.

2. Create content. We
are in the Wild Wild West here in terms of what is happening in the
industry. There are so many opportunities for us, it just takes a lot
more work. So create content. If you look on my YouTube channel you will
see what I did with one of my acting classes. In a one-shot style we
created 2–3-minute original scenes. We worked together as a team and
everyone had a job each time we shot. Then two of my most Type A
actors picked 12 of the best comedies and sent a hard copy DVD to all
the CDs who are known for casting half-hour, and then did the same for
drama. Not only were they able to use those scenes on their reels but
also actors were called in to audition for many of the casting directors
we had reached out to.

3. Do a play. This does
not mean you need to go and do some weird experimental theater. Find
something that is TV-friendly. One of the restaurants near where I live
has a theater upstairs and asked me if I could do something with my
class on a Sunday. So along with Jonathan Barron and Barrett Shuler we
wrote a very funny, smart, relevant play that was 36 minutes and moved
at the speed that TV does. We did a tremendous marketing job, the
restaurant threw in bottomless Mimosas and it was a huge success. And
yes, actors were called in from some of the casting directors that were
there.

So…there you have it. The bottom line is
that as actors, five or 10 years ago, were submitted by agents and then
went on auditions. Now actors need to be their own agent, manager,
director, writer, producer, grip, and well pretty much everything else.
That requires huge motivation, unshakeable relentlessness, and a
passionate drive to do everything you can to achieve success.

When I hear actors talk about their auditions,
I often hear them say that they gave a “good audition,” or that it
“went well.” They felt “OK in the room,” the read felt “pretty solid,”
and the people in the room “seemed to like them.”

Almost as if it was a test and they passed with a solid B.

Not only is that not nearly good enough, it entirely misses the point of what an audition actually is.

At its best and highest form, an audition
is you showing the people in the room that you are ready and able to do
the job—that you have the chops at that very moment to walk onto the
set and deliver as a multi-faceted, creative, and flexible actor as well
as a solid, strong, and dependable professional.

You need a way of working that allows you
to exceed all of the actors who are just preparing to do well in the
room. You need to prepare in a way that allows you to exhibit the
greatness that lands you on the set, doing the job.

Here are three of the things that need to happen if you’re going to be seen as “set ready.”

1.Variety of choice. Let’s
first be clear that this doesn’t mean making a series of random and
bizarre decisions for the sake of trying to be original. It’s about
finding the choices inside of you that connect you to the words on the
page in the most dynamically truthful way possible. A television
director friend of mine says that he likes to see a range of choices in
the audition so that he knows he has options when the scenes are being
shot. He may decide at the last minute to change the tone of a scene,
and needs to know that the actors have the range to handle different
scenarios. More often than not though, when you’re on the set you’ll
hear the director say, “Just throw it all away and say the words.”
That’s their decision for the scene in that moment, but if that’s all
that you show them in the audition, they may assume that’s all that you
can do and will choose someone who gave them more options. The variation
in the choices may be large or very slight depending on the scene, but
remember, the actor who makes the lines come alive in the most
interesting and unique way almost always gets the job.

2.Presence.
A strong audition enables the people in the room to picture you on set
doing the job. If you’re anxious and edgy, they’ll just see an actor
having a rough audition. If you’re bold and powerful, they’ll see a high
functioning actor who will be in control every step of the way. A big
part of the picture they have of you is your professionalism in the room
and a big part of being a strong professional in the room is
acceptance. Job-getting actors accept the room just the way it
is—nothing is good or bad, it’s the room they have on that day. The calm
sense of control that comes from this acceptance is both winning and
empowering. It allows you to take and hold your space with authority, as
well as control the pace and the flow of the audition. Acceptance
brings strength.

There is also an ease to the actors who
book the job. There is no neediness or sense of apology. These actors
are confident, natural, and present in every moment of the process.
Their works is done and inside of them so that their minds, bodies, and
hearts are free to take in and be a part of their surroundings and
connect to everyone in the room without distraction. They are someone
you look forward to working with—someone you like. And remember, people
hire people they like.

3. Adjustments. Nothing
tells the people in the room if you’re ready for the set more than how
you handle an adjustment. By handling them well you can show that you’re
a smart, creative actor who has great control over his work, and that
you have the skill to move easily and effectively in all directions.

By weaving adjustments into the fabric of
your initial reading, you’ll show that you understand that an
adjustment is a shift, not an overhaul, and that you can take direction
and incorporate it subtly and truthfully.

Adjustments will reveal whether you’re
under- or over-prepared. If you’re underprepared or winging it, you
won’t have enough control over the piece to know what you’re adjusting
and the whole thing will fall apart. If you’re over-prepared and have
run the piece 100 times or so, you won’t be able to shift or move
because the piece will be cemented into your head one way and one way
only.

Actors who book know that a great
audition, and a great performance for that matter, is the perfect
combination of preparedness and flexibility. Adjustments will be a key
component in showing if you’re that actor.

An audition isn’t an end unto itself.
It’s a job interview, and in order for it to be a success you need to
exhibit the skills, presence, and confidence of the job-getter, not the
tentative, shallow people pleasing dullness of one more actor
auditioning.

Good auditions usually end in the room; great ones can get you to the set

The 3 Fastest Ways to Memorize Lines

By
Matt Newton
| Backstage

What’s the best way to memorize quickly? Perhaps you have
12 pages of sides for a callback tomorrow morning, or you have to
memorize a two-hour play in a week because someone just dropped out, or
maybe you signed up for a casting director pay-to-meet, and at the last
minute decided to memorize a really overdone monologue from “Mean
Girls.” (Just me?)

You have no idea how you are going to learn the lines this quickly.
Maybe you’ve tried putting the script under your pillow hoping to learn
the lines by osmosis (doesn’t work), or you’ve tried having your four
roommates sing your lines to you at three in the morning (totally
creepy). You’ve tried everything, and it doesn’t work. What do you do?
The old method of covering your lines with your hand never seems to
work, as the lines always feel like they are on the surface, and not
ingrained—sort of like cramming for a math test—and will be out the
window the second you finish. I’ve tried many different ways over the years, and I found these are by far the quickest ways to memorize lines.

1.The Rehearsal 2 app. This
is hands down my favorite way for actors to learn lines. It’s the scene
partner that never gets tired of running lines with you. If you can get
past the fact that it’s $19.99, this is a game changer. You can
highlight the lines in the app, record the other character’s lines, and
use it as a teleprompter, which will scroll through the script as you
are reading it. Then it just keeps playing on a loop. The secret for me
is to whisper my lines and read the other character’s lines out loud when I’m recording, so I don’t get too caught up in the way
I’m saying my lines, but I know how much time I have to say them. I
will literally put my iPad on a chair and pretend I’m running lines with
someone. It’s so much better than a tape recorder. Love it. (Time:
Approx. 30 minutes for a 12-page scene.)

2. Write them out. This is quicker than you think,
and you always remember the lines word for word when you are done. I
have used this for memorizing longer scenes with lots of speeches. I
find this works really well because you are connecting your mind to the
action of writing the lines down and seeing the lines at the same time.
They seem to go to a deeper part of your brain. I prefer writing them by
hand instead of typing.

Write out just your lines in one big paragraph, then run
through the scene out loud. Then do this five more times, breaking your
lines into thoughts each time. The last time you write them out, see if
you can do it without looking at the script, and just think of the other
person’s lines. What’s great about it is that you aren’t memorizing
what the other characters are saying, and can really listen in
the scene and not anticipate the lines. (Time: Approx one hour for a
12-page scene.)

3.Run the lines with someone many times.
Preferably an actor, not your friend who was an extra on “Blue Bloods”
one time, likes to coach you, and keeps reading the stage directions out
loud. The first time you run through it, just listen to the
words. Focus on pausing between each line, really absorbing what’s being
said and going over the scene many times in many different ways,
playing with intention, actions, and pacing. Try it sitting and
standing, and allow yourself to make mistakes and explore every way not to
do it, while also getting more and more comfortable with the lines.
Focus on the “why” and the circumstances, which will help you learn the
scene on a deeper level. If you forget your lines, you can find your way
back because you really understand what’s going on. (Time: Approx. 30
minutes to an hour.)

Personally, I usually use a combination of these three techniques to
prepare for every audition. I will write down the lines, then run them
with the Rehearsal 2 app, then with another actor, during which time I
will speed through them as fast as I can (the real test to see how well
you know them). After that I will improvise the lines, and see if I can
come up with some added moments and reactions between the lines
that feel authentic to me, in a way that I would say them. Then I layer
the writer’s words back on and blend it all together. This way, I am
memorized, but also flexible and open to direction and change.

At the end of the day you want the lines to seem like second nature,
genuine and authentic, as if they are coming from a real person with
real thoughts and ideas. Auditions cause anxiety, and while you may have
them memorized at home, when you walk into the room it’s easy to get
distracted and forget. As actors, we need to prepare for this, and be
very, very memorized (but not locked into a pattern), so that we are
confident, relaxed, committed, listening, and open to direction.

Whether creating your own content or acting in a major studio production, understanding the filmmakers’ craft will improve your performance and make you the crew’s best friend. Dipping your toe into film and television? Here are nine basic shots types that all on-camera actors should know!

The Establishing ShotRemember the outside of Jerry Seinfeld’s favorite diner or the house on the hill in “Psycho”? Frequently used in ’90s sitcoms and classic films, the establishing shot is an extremely wide view—often an exterior—used to the indicate the place, time, or concept of the scene that follows. While it may not contain any actors, placement of characters within the establishing shot can be a great tool for indicating relationship before the start of the scene.

The Master ShotThe master differs from the establishing shot in that it covers all of the action of the scene, providing a wide view that will later be cut with tighter angles and close ups. Since it is often the first shot to be filmed, actors help the director out by choosing a physical action that can be repeated take after take without hindering the creative process.

The Tracking Shot (or Dolly Shot)This complicated shot follows the movement of actors, objects, or vehicles in the frame by mounting the camera on a dolly or using a skilled Steadicam operator. Frequently used in action movies and episodic television—think gurneys wheeling through an ER or swift walks through the White House hallway—tracking shots require focus, precision, and patience from crew and actors alike.

The Wide Shot (or Long Shot)The wide shot gives the audience a sense of environment by showing an actor or actors from far away, generally framed from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet. There is some room for movement within the frame, though wide shots are used sparingly and (usually) for only a small part of the scene.

The Two-ShotThe two-shot is just what it sounds like: two subjects together in a semi-tight frame. It can take several forms, from a mostly still shot used to establish the relationship between two characters to an action shot with two actors in frame.

The Over-the-Shoulder ShotThis popular method for shooting two characters tightly focuses on one actor while framing the shot over the other actor’s back and shoulder. This helps the audience focus on one speaker at a time while framing them in the context of their conversation. Since the second actor is only seen from behind, major film and television sets occasionally substitute a stand-in or photo double for over-the-shoulder shots.

The Medium ShotGenerally defined as a semi-close shot that shows actors from the hips up, this shot is used to capture subtle facial expressions while still depicting body language and environment that might be lost with a tighter frame.

The Close-UpThere’s a reason Norma Desmond croons, “Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up!” The close-up shot is arguably the actor’s most important moment on set, and requires a high level of focus and skillful subtlety. Close-ups are usually framed from the shoulders up, and capture even the tiniest facial variations. Pro-tip: Actors can save their editors a major headache by avoiding overlapping dialogue in close-up scenes. It’s easy to manually add overlap when cutting close-ups together, but near impossible to remove it; for this reason, most directors prefer “clean dialogue” with a small space between each line.

The Extreme Close-UpThe extreme close-up depicts intense emotion or fear by focusing very tightly on one small part of the actors face, such as a roving eye or tightening lip. Artistic, dramatic, and bold, this shot is used sparingly but effectively in high-tension films and television shows!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Every pilot season we suffer. We suffer through the pressure cooker of casting a pilot. We suffer through this manufactured marathon called pilot season, as hundreds of creators and business folk scramble to make between 22 and 44 minutes of network broadcast television that they pray will be unique enough to catch the brass ring, doing whatever they can to be handpicked from a crowd of other desperately driven pilots to get on the air. The town goes insane, everyone drunk with hope and despair, everyone turning themselves inside out, as four networks and several studios try to cast 90 pilots at once. Each of us competing for actors, uncertain of what we’re really looking for until an actor’s slipped out of our grasp. Did we want him anyway? Was she even right? Will we ever find it again? We’re racing 100 miles an hour into a brick wall. It’s ridiculous. It’s counterintuitive. Often counterproductive. Always intensely frustrating. But every year we do it. Every year we’re hundreds of salmon swimming upstream.

Then you, the actor, walk right into this maelstrom. You enter a crowded audition room and look into the eyes of forced-friendly writers, directors, producers, and casting directors, welcoming you into their anxious but hopeful piece of pilot real estate. And there you are: “Hello, hello. Thanks for having me. Anything I should know? OK, well, let’s do it.” And you’re off.

But what happens so often—more often than not—is that you start the scene and gradually drift away. You disappear. And each time that happens, our hearts sink. In our Studio B, where we do most of our casting, the camera and the reader face a corner. And that corner has become a vortex, pulling you away from us, from the reader, from yourself, and into some blighted region of neutrality. You get lost in regimented choices you made that you’re now presenting by rote. Or you get stuck “in your head,” trying to remember your lines. Or you’re rendered immobile with fear or anxiety, making this “audition” the test of your talent. You forfeit your exceptional voice to a breakdown or to an idea you have of what a show creator or network might want. You vanish.

And your anxious, hopeful audience deflates. You see, each time an actor enters the room, they look to you with such anticipation that you’d think that you were carrying their souls. And you know what… you are. You are the possessor of possibility. If they hear their writing in ways they imagined, or in ways they never dreamed possible, their futures look like nirvana. But if you start acting all over the place, forcing a prepared performance, or if you disappear into that abyss, their dreams of nine years on the air are instantly dashed. They despair; their hearts sink. Or, alternatively, they get anxious, fearing that their prized pilot script might not work after all. They start drawing demented stick figures on their session sheet, ripping through the paper in frustration.

So, who has the power here? “Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?” Truth is, you have incredible freedom. Ultimate power. But here’s the trick:

You must not take on their anxiety. Or their hopes and dreams. The stakes are high for them but that’s their drama. Nor can you bring in your own dreams of red carpets and six-figure salaries. Your job is to do such wonderful work that they believe they’ve seen the light. They are waiting to fall in love with you; they’re praying for magic to happen. You are in the driver’s seat. You can take them to the Promised Land.

Your job is to take a piece of untried material, just in its inception, and to be adventurous—to find where this story, where this character lives in you, to be so specific and personal in your choices that you own them completely. And then to engage fully with the reader. If that proves challenging, listen to Steve’s audio below: “The Gift of a Bad Reader.” You have to be so present and so committed that there is nobody else imaginable for this role—at least for your 10 minutes right there in the room (or as they’re watching you on tape).

Your job is to show up to collaborate. The creative team—as much as they love their show (and they will love it with the infatuation of a brand new love affair)—do not know what they want. They may think they do, but they really don’t. Hell, they barely know each other. The director likely just met the show creator. The casting director just met them all. They’re hearing the material out loud for the first time. They’re in early stages of pre-production while only weeks from shooting, with a crew they’ve never met. They’re only just figuring it out, needing that someone to show up in their full power. Maybe they just lost the hot TV star who took another pilot. Maybe the last 10 actors were invisible. This is your moment. When you’re able to offer your strong point of view, your rich emotional life, your deep engagement with the other character(s), it all begins to make sense to them in a way they never imagined but always hoped for. When you’re the actor who walks in (or tapes) and inhabits the role, you define it and it’s undeniable to everyone, and every producer and executive is there ready to take credit for you.

You can do that kind of work. In fact, you have to do that. You have to step up. The thing is, if the studio is going to put millions of their pilot dollars on you, and the producer, writer, show runner, and director have put their careers on the line, you have to be ready for prime time. You have to be that definitive actor who will help get their show on the air, a concern that nags at them day and night as they compete for one of the few spots available on the network schedule.

Ask yourself: How would Bryan Cranston or Frances McDormand or Mark Rylance read for a role. Would any of them give up their astoundingly bold expression? Would they do it exactly the same way they rehearsed it in their car? Would they disappear into the corner? Hardly. So neither should you.

We advocate for this at the BGB Studio. It is part of our audition revolution; we want so much for you to be courageous enough to walk into the room in your power, sharing your unique expression. Because even if you’re—dare we say it—“wrong,” you’re in the work. You’re someone who shows up with enough force as a fellow creative partner in the process. You’ve got a seat at the table.

Do the kind of work you’d be daring enough to do if nothing was on the line. And now do it with Olympic power. Everyone is waiting for you to change the room, change their lives. You have the power to do that.

Listen: “The Gift of a Bad Reader”

Be in the work with us at The BGB Studio for new classes in the studio and online.

Like this advice? Check out more from our Backstage Experts!

Risa Bramon Garcia is a director, casting director, owner of The BGB Studio and Backstage Expert. For more information, check out Bramon Garcia’s full bio!

Steve Braun is an L.A.-based acting coach, actor, owner of The BGB Studio, and Backstage Expert. For more information, check out Braun’s full bio!

Sunday, March 22, 2015

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that there exist in connection with a substantial number of contracts for talent services, sales practices and business and financing methods which have worked a fraud, deceit, imposition, and financial hardship upon the people of this state, particularly upon children and other minors; that existing legal remedies are inadequate to correct these abuses; that the talent industry has a significant impact upon the economy and well-being of this state and its local communities; and that the provisions of this act relating to these are necessary for the public welfare.

The Legislature declares that the purpose of this act is to safeguard the public against fraud, deceit, imposition, and financial hardship, and to foster and encourage competition, fair dealing, and prosperity in the field of talent services by prohibiting or restricting false or misleading advertising and other unfair, dishonest, deceptive, destructive, unscrupulous, and fraudulent business practices by which the public has been injured in connection with talent services.

Nothing in this act is intended to prohibit talent training services, talent counseling services, and talent listing services from conducting business provided they comply with the provisions and prohibitions set forth in this act.

Nothing in this chapter is intended to prohibit legitimate contractual business relationships between artists and bona fide record companies or to excuse a person from complying with Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1700).

SEC. 2. Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 1701) of Part 6 of Division 2 of the Labor Code is repealed.

SEC. 3. Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 1701) is added to Part 6 of Division 2 of the Labor Code, to read:

CHAPTER 4.5. Fee-Related Talent Services

Article 1. Definitions

1701. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(b) "Audition" means any activity for the purpose of obtaining employment, compensated or not, as an artist whereby an artist meets with, interviews or performs before, or displays his or her talent before, any person, including a producer, a director, or a casting director, or an associate, representative, or designee of a producer, director, or casting director, who has, or is represented to have, input into the decision to select an artist for an employment opportunity. An "audition" may be in-person or through electronic means, live or recorded, and may include a performance or other display of the artist's promotional materials.

(c) "Employment opportunity" means the opportunity to obtain work as an artist, whether compensated or not.

(d) "Fee" means any money or other valuable consideration paid or promised to be paid by or on behalf of an artist for services rendered or to be rendered by any person conducting business under this chapter. "Fee" does not include the following:

(1) A fee calculated as a percentage of the income earned by the artist for his or her employment as an artist.

(2) (A) Reimbursements for out-of-pocket costs actually incurred by the payee on behalf of the artist for services rendered or goods provided to the artist by an independent third party if all of the following conditions are met:

(i) The payee has no direct or indirect financial interest in the third party.

(ii) The payee does not accept any referral fee, kickback, or other consideration for referring the artist.

(iii) The services rendered or goods provided for the out-of-pocket costs are not, and are not represented to be, a condition for the payee to register or list the artist with the payee.

(iv) The payee maintains adequate records to establish that the amount to be reimbursed was actually advanced or owed to a third party and that the third party is not a person with whom the payee has a direct or indirect financial interest or from whom the payee receives any consideration for referring the artist. To satisfy this condition, the payee shall maintain the records for at least three years and make them available for inspection and copying within 24 hours of a written request by the Labor Commissioner, the Attorney General, a district attorney, a city attorney, or a state or local enforcement agency.

(B) A person asserting a defense based upon this paragraph has the burden of producing evidence to support the defense.

(3) Appearances, marketing, or similar activities by an artist rendered in the context of promoting that artist's career.

(4) Royalties or profit participation from work or services as an artist payable under a bona fide contractual obligation.

(f) "Talent counseling service" means a person who does not manage or direct the development of an artist's career and who, for a fee from, or on behalf of, an artist, provides or offers to provide, or advertises or represents itself as providing, that artist, directly or by referral to another person, with career counseling, vocational guidance, aptitude testing, or career evaluation as an artist.

(g) "Talent listing service" means a person who, for a fee from, or on behalf of, an artist, provides or offers to provide, or advertises or represents itself as providing, an artist, directly or by referral to another person, with any of the following:

(1) A list of one or more auditions or employment opportunities.

(2) A list of talent agents or talent managers, including an associate, representative, or designee thereof.

(3) A search, or providing the artist with the ability to perform a self-directed search, of any database for an audition or employment opportunity, or a database of talent agents or talent managers, or an associate, representative, or designee thereof.

(4) Storage or maintenance for distribution or disclosure to a person represented as offering an audition or employment opportunity, or to a talent agent, talent manager, or an associate, representative, or designee of a talent agent or talent manager, of either of the following: (A) an artist's name, photograph, Internet website, filmstrip, videotape, audition tape, demonstration reel, resumé, portfolio, or other reproduction or promotional material of the artist or (B) an artist's schedule of availability for an audition or employment opportunity.

(h) "Talent scout" means an individual employed, appointed, or authorized by a talent service, who solicits or attempts to solicit an artist for the purpose of becoming a client of the service. The principals of a service are themselves talent scouts if they solicit on behalf of the service.

(j) "Talent training service" means a person who, for a fee from, or on behalf of, an artist, provides or offers to provide, or advertises or represents itself as providing, an artist, directly or by referral to another person, with lessons, coaching, seminars, workshops, or similar training as an artist.

Article 2. Advance-Fee Talent Representation Service

1702. No person shall own, operate, or act in the capacity of an advance-fee talent representation service or advertise, solicit for, or knowingly refer a person to, an advance-fee talent representation service.

1702.1. (a) "Advance-fee talent representation service" means a person who provides or offers to provide, or advertises or represents itself as providing, an artist, directly or by referral to another person, with one or more of the following services described below, provided that the person charges or receives a fee from or on behalf of an artist for photographs, Internet websites, or other reproductions or other promotional materials as an artist; lessons, coaching, seminars, workshops, or similar training for an artist; or for one or more of the following services:

(1) Procuring or attempting to procure an employment opportunity or an engagement as an artist.

(2) Procuring or attempting to procure an audition for an artist.

(3) Managing or directing the development of an artist's career.

(4) Procuring or attempting to procure a talent agent or talent manager, including an associate, representative, or designee of a talent agent or talent manager.

(b) "Advance-fee talent representation service" also means a person who charges or receives a fee from, or on behalf of, an artist for any product or service required for the artist to obtain, from or through the person, any of the services described in paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a).

1702.3. A person who violates Section 1702 is subject to the provisions of Article 4 (commencing with Section 1704).

1702.4. This article does not apply to the following:

(a) A public educational institution.

(b) A nonprofit corporation, organized to achieve economic adjustment and civic betterment, give vocational guidance, including employment counseling services, and assist in the placement of its members or others, if all of the following conditions exist:

(1) None of the corporation's directors, officers, or employees receive any compensation other than a nominal salary for services performed for the corporation.

(2) The corporation does not charge a fee for its services, although it may request a voluntary contribution.

(3) The corporation uses any membership dues or fees solely for maintenance.

(c) A nonprofit corporation, formed in good faith for the promotion and advancement of the general professional interests of its members, that maintains a placement service principally engaged to secure employment for its members with the state or a county, city, district, or other public agency under contracts providing employment for one year or longer, or with a nonprofit corporation exempted by subdivision (b).

(d) A labor organization, as defined in Section 1117.

(e) A newspaper, bona fide newsletter, magazine, trade or professional journal, or other publication of general circulation, whether in print or on the Internet, that has as its main purpose the dissemination of news, reports, trade or professional information, or information not intended to assist in locating, securing, or procuring employment or assignments for others.

(f) A public institution.

Article 3. Other Talent Services

1703. (a) Every contract and agreement between an artist and a talent service shall be in writing, in at least 10-point type, and contain all of the following provisions:

(1) The name, address, telephone number, fax number (if any), email address (if any), and Internet website address (if any), of the talent service, the artist to whom services are to be provided, and the representative executing the contract on behalf of the talent service.

(2) A description of the services to be performed, a statement when those services are to be provided, and the duration of the contract.

(3) Evidence of compliance with applicable bonding requirements, including the name of the bonding company and the bond number, if any, and a statement that a bond in the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) must be posted with the Labor Commissioner.

(4) The amount of any fees to be charged to or collected from, or on behalf of, the artist receiving the services, and the date or dates when those fees are required to be paid.

(5) The following statements, in boldface type and in close proximity to the artist's signature:

"(Name of talent service) IS A TALENT COUNSELING SERVICE, TALENT LISTING SERVICE, OR TALENT TRAINING SERVICE (whichever is applicable). THIS IS NOT A TALENT AGENCY CONTRACT. ONLY A TALENT AGENT LICENSED PURSUANT TO SECTION 1700.5 OF THE LABOR CODE MAY ENGAGE IN THE OCCUPATION OF PROCURING, OFFERING, PROMISING, OR ATTEMPTING TO PROCURE EMPLOYMENT OR ENGAGEMENTS FOR AN ARTIST.

(Name of talent service) IS PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM OFFERING OR ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN AUDITIONS OR EMPLOYMENT FOR YOU. IT MAY ONLY PROVIDE YOU WITH TRAINING, COUNSELING, OR LISTING INFORMATION (whichever is applicable).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONSULT CHAPTER 4.5 (COMMENCING WITH SECTION 1701) OF PART 6 OF DIVISION 2 OF THE LABOR CODE.

A DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT BY THE TALENT SERVICE THAT IS NOT RESOLVED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE ARTIST SHOULD BE REFERRED TO A LOCAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS APPROPRIATE.

YOUR RIGHT TO CANCEL(enter date of transaction)You may cancel this contract and obtain a full refund, without any penalty or obligation, if notice of cancellation is given, in writing, within 10 business days from the above date or the date on which you commence utilizing the services under the contract, whichever is longer. For purposes of this section, business days are Monday through Friday.

To cancel this contract, mail or deliver or send by facsimile transmission a signed and dated copy of the following cancellation notice or any other written notice of cancellation to (name of talent service) at (address of its place of business), fax number (if any), email address (if any), and Internet website address (if any), NOT LATER THAN MIDNIGHT OF (date).

If the contract was executed in part or in whole through the Internet, you may cancel the contract by sending the notification to: (email address).

If you cancel, all fees you have paid must be refunded to you within 10 business days after delivery of the cancellation notice to the talent service."

(6) A statement conspicuously disclosing whether the artist may or may not obtain a refund after the 10-day cancellation period described in paragraph (5) has expired.

(b) Except for contracts executed over the Internet, a contract subject to this section shall be dated and signed by the artist and the representative executing the contract on behalf of the talent service. In the case of a contract executed over the Internet, the talent service shall give the artist clear and conspicuous notice of the contract terms and provide to the artist the ability to acknowledge receipt of the terms before acknowledging agreement thereto. In any dispute regarding compliance with this subdivision, the talent service shall have the burden of proving that the artist received the terms and acknowledged agreement thereto.

(c) If the talent service offers to list or display information about an artist, including a photograph, on the service's Internet website, or on a website that the talent service has authority to design or alter, the contract shall contain a notice that the talent service will remove the listing and content within 10 days of a request by the artist or, in the case of a minor, the artist's parent or guardian. The contract shall include a valid telephone number, mailing address, and email address for the talent service to which a request for removal may be made.

(d) A contract between an artist and a talent service shall be contained in a single document that includes the elements set forth in this section. A contract subject to this section that does not comply with subdivisions (a) to (f), inclusive, is voidable at the election of the artist and may be canceled by the artist at any time without any penalty or obligation.

(e) (1) An artist may cancel a contract or within 10 business days from the date he or she commences utilizing the services under the contract. An artist shall notify the talent service of the cancellation for talent services within 10 business days of the date he or she executed the contract by mailing, delivering, or sending by facsimile transmission to the talent service, a signed and dated copy of the cancellation notice or any other written notice of cancellation, or by sending a notice of cancellation via the Internet if the contract was executed in part or in whole through the Internet. A talent service shall refund all fees paid by, or on behalf of, an artist within 10 business days after delivery of the cancellation notice.

(2) Unless a talent service conspicuously discloses in the contract that cancellation is prohibited after the 10-day cancellation period described in paragraph (1), an artist may cancel a contract for talent services at any time after the 10-day cancellation period by mailing, delivering, or sending by facsimile transmission to the talent service a signed and dated copy of the cancellation notice or any other written notice of cancellation, or by sending a notice of cancellation via the Internet if the contract was executed in part or in whole through the Internet. Within 10 business days after delivery of the cancellation notice, the talent service shall refund to the artist on a pro rata basis all fees paid by, or on behalf of, the artist.

(f) A contract between an artist and a talent service shall have a term of not more than one year and shall not be renewed automatically.

(g) The talent service shall maintain the address set forth in the contract for receipt of cancellation and for removal of an Internet website or other listing, unless it furnishes the artist with written notice of a change of address. Written notice of a change of address may be done by email if the artist designates an email address in the contract for purposes of receiving written notice.

(h) The talent service shall advise a person inquiring about canceling a contract to follow the written procedures for cancellation set forth in the contract.

(i) Before the artist signs a contract and before the artist or any person acting on his or her behalf becomes obligated to pay or pays any fee, the talent service shall provide a copy of the contract to the artist for the artist to keep. If the contract was executed through the Internet, the talent service may provide a copy of the contract to the artist by making it available to be downloaded and printed through the Internet.

(j) The talent service shall maintain the original executed contract on file at its place of business.

1703.1. (a) Every person engaging in the business of a talent service shall keep and maintain records of the talent service business, including the following:

(1) The name and address of each artist contracting with the talent service.

(2) The amount of the fees paid by or for the artist during the term of the contract with the talent service.

(3) Records described in clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 1701.

(4) Records described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1703.6.

(5) Records described in subdivision (j) of Section 1703.

(6) Records described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1703.4.

(7) Records described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1703.4.

(8) Records described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1703.4.

(9) The name, address, date of birth, social security number, federal tax identification number, and driver's license number and state of issuance thereof, of the owner of the talent service and of the corporate officers of the talent service, if it is owned by a corporation.

(10) The legal name, principal residence address, date of birth, and driver's license number and state of issuance thereof, of every talent scout and the name each talent scout uses while soliciting artists.

(11) Any other information that the Labor Commissioner requires.

(b) All books, records, and other papers kept pursuant to this chapter by a talent service shall be open for inspection during the hours between 9am and 5pm, inclusive, Monday to Friday, inclusive, except legal holidays, by a peace officer or a representative from the Labor Commissioner, the Attorney General, any district attorney, or any city attorney. Every talent service shall furnish to the Labor Commissioner, a law enforcement officer, the Attorney General, any district attorney, or any city attorney, upon request, a true copy of those books, records, and papers, or any portion thereof, and shall make reports as the Labor Commissioner requires. The inspecting party shall maintain the confidentiality of any personal identifying information contained in the records maintained pursuant to this section, and shall not share, sell, or transfer the information to any third party unless it is otherwise authorized by state or federal law.

A written or verbal solicitation or advertisement for an artist to perform or demonstrate any talent for the talent service, or to appear for an interview with the talent service, shall include the following clear and conspicuous statement: "This is not an audition for employment or for obtaining a talent agent or talent management."

1703.3. (a) Prior to advertising or engaging in business, a talent service shall file with the Labor Commissioner a bond in the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or a deposit in lieu of the bond pursuant to Section 995.710 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The bond shall be executed by a corporate surety qualified to do business in this state and conditioned upon compliance with this chapter. The total aggregate liability on the bond shall be limited to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). The bond may be terminated pursuant to Section 995.440 of, or Article 13 (commencing with Section 996.310) of Chapter 2 of Title 14 of Part 2 of, the Code of Civil Procedure.

(b) The bond required by this section shall be in favor of, and payable to, the people of the State of California and shall be for the benefit of any person injured by any unlawful act, omission, or failure to provide the services of the talent service.

(c) The Labor Commissioner shall charge and collect a filing fee to cover the cost of filing the bond or deposit.

(d) (1) Whenever a deposit is made in lieu of the bond otherwise required by this section, the person asserting the claim against the deposit shall establish the claim by furnishing evidence to the Labor Commissioner of injury resulting from an unlawful act, omission, or failure to provide the services of the talent service or of a money judgment entered by a court.

(2) When a claimant has established the claim with the Labor Commissioner, the Labor Commissioner shall review and approve the claim and enter the date of the approval thereon. The claim shall be designated an approved claim.

(3) When the first claim against a particular deposit has been approved, it shall not be paid until the expiration of a period of 240 days after the date of its approval by the Labor Commissioner. Subsequent claims that are approved by the Labor Commissioner within the same 240-day period shall similarly not be paid until the expiration of that 240-day period. Upon the expiration of the 240-day period, the Labor Commissioner shall pay all approved claims from that 240-day period in full unless the deposit is insufficient, in which case every approved claim shall be paid a pro rata share of the deposit.

(4) Whenever the Labor Commissioner approves the first claim against a particular deposit after the expiration of a 240-day period, the date of approval of that claim shall begin a new 240-day period to which paragraph (3) applies with respect to any amount remaining in the deposit.

(5) After a deposit is exhausted, no further claims shall be paid by the Labor Commissioner. Claimants who have had claims paid in full or in part pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4) shall not be required to return funds received from the deposit for the benefit of other claimants.

(6) Whenever a deposit has been made in lieu of a bond, the amount of the deposit shall not be subject to attachment, garnishment, or execution with respect to an action or judgment against the assignor of the deposit, other than as to an amount as no longer needed or required for the purposes of this chapter and that would otherwise be returned to the assignor of the deposit by the Labor Commissioner.

(7) The Labor Commissioner shall return a deposit two years from the date it receives written notification from the assignor of the deposit that the assignor has ceased to engage in the business or act in the capacity of a talent service or has filed a bond pursuant to subdivision (a), provided that there are no outstanding claims against the deposit. The written notice shall include all of the following:

(A) The name, address, and telephone number of the assignor.

(B) The name, address, and telephone number of the bank at which the deposit is located.

(C) The account number of the deposit.

(D) A statement that the assignor is ceasing to engage in the business or act in the capacity of a talent service or has filed a bond with the Labor Commissioner. The Labor Commissioner shall forward an acknowledgment of receipt of the written notice to the assignor at the address indicated therein, specifying the date of receipt of the written notice and the anticipated date of release of the deposit, provided that there are then no outstanding claims against the deposit.

(8) A superior court may order the return of the deposit prior to the expiration of two years upon evidence satisfactory to the court that there are no outstanding claims against the deposit, or order the Labor Commissioner to retain the deposit for a specified period beyond the two years to resolve outstanding claims against the deposit.

(9) This subdivision applies to all deposits retained by the Labor Commissioner. The Labor Commissioner shall notify each assignor of a deposit it retains and of the applicability of this section.

(10) Compliance with Sections 1700.15 and 1700.16 of this code or Section 1812.503, 1812.510, or 1812.515 of the Civil Code shall not satisfy the requirements of this section.

1703.4. (a) A talent service, its owners, directors, officers, agents, and employees shall not do any of the following:

(1) Make or cause to be made any advertisement or representation expressly or impliedly offering the opportunity for an artist to meet with or audition before any producer, director, casting director, or any associate thereof, or any other person who makes, or is represented to make, decisions for the process of hiring artists for employment as an artist, or any talent agent or talent manager, or any associate, representative, or designee thereof, unless the talent service maintains for inspection and copying written evidence of the supporting facts, including the name, business address, and job title of all persons conducting the meeting or audition, and the title of the production and the name of the production company.

(2) Make or cause to be made any advertisement or representation that any artist, whether identified or not, has obtained an audition, employment opportunity, or employment as an artist in whole or in part by use of the talent service unless the talent service maintains for inspection written evidence of the supporting facts upon which the claim is based, including the name of the artist and the approximate dates the talent service was used by the artist.

(3) Charge or attempt to charge an artist for an audition or employment opportunity.

(4) Require an artist, as a condition for using the talent service or for obtaining an additional benefit or preferential treatment from the talent service, to pay a fee for creating or providing photographs, filmstrips, videotapes, audition tapes, demonstration reels, or other reproductions of the artist, Internet websites, casting or talent brochures, or other promotional materials for the artist.

(5) Charge or attempt to charge an artist any fee not disclosed pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1703.

(6) Refer an artist to a person who charges the artist a fee for any service or any product in which the talent service, its owners, directors, officers, agents, or employees have a direct or indirect financial interest, unless the fee and the financial interest are conspicuously disclosed in a separate writing provided to the artist to keep prior to his or her execution of the contract with the talent service.

(7) Require an artist, as a condition for using a talent service or for obtaining any additional benefit or preferential treatment from the talent service, to pay a fee to any other talent service in which the talent service, its owners, directors, officers, agents, or employees have a direct or indirect financial interest.

(8) Accept any compensation or other consideration for referring an artist to any person charging the artist a fee.

(9) Fail to remove information about, or photographs of, the artist displayed on the talent service's Internet website, or a website that the service has the authority to design or alter, within 10 days of delivery of a request made by telephone, mail, facsimile transmission, or electronic mail from the artist or from a parent or guardian of the artist if the artist is a minor.

(b) A talent training service and talent counseling service and the owners, officers, directors, agents, and employees of the talent training service or talent counseling service shall not own, operate, or have a direct or indirect financial interest in a talent listing service.

(c) A talent listing service and its owners, officers, directors, agents, and employees shall not do either of the following:

(1) Own, operate, or have a direct or indirect financial interest in a talent training service or a talent counseling service.

(2) Provide a listing of an audition, job, or employment opportunity without written permission for the listing. A talent listing service shall keep and maintain a copy of all original listings; the name, business address, and business telephone number of the person granting permission to the talent listing service to use the listing; and the date the permission was granted.

(3) Make or cause to be made an advertisement or representation that includes the trademark, logo, name, word, or phrase of a company or organization, including a studio, production company, network, broadcaster, talent agency licensed pursuant to Section 1700.5, labor union, or organization as defined in Section 1117, in any manner that falsely or misleadingly suggests the endorsement, sponsorship, approval, or affiliation of a talent service.

1703.5. No talent scout shall use the same name as used by any other talent scout soliciting for the same talent service, and no talent service shall permit a talent scout to use the same name as used by any other talent scout soliciting for the talent service.

1703.6. This article does not apply to any of the following:

(a) An entity described in subdivisions (a), (b), (d), (e), and (f) of Section 1702.4.

(b) (1) A private educational institution established solely for educational purposes which, as a part of its curriculum, offers employment counseling to its student body and satisfies either of the following:

(A) The institution conforms to the requirements of Article 5 (commencing with Section 33190) of Chapter 2 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code.

(B) More than 90 percent of the students to whom instruction, training, or education is provided during any semester or other term of instruction have completed or terminated their secondary education or are beyond the age of compulsory high school attendance. A person claiming exemption under this subparagraph shall maintain adequate records to establish the age of its students, including the name, date of birth, principal residence address, principal telephone number, driver's license number and state of issuance thereof, and dates of attendance, and shall make them available for inspection and copying within 24 hours of a written request by the Labor Commissioner, the Attorney General, a district attorney, a city attorney, or a state or local law enforcement agency. The inspecting party shall maintain the confidentiality of any personal identifying information contained in the records maintained pursuant to this section, and shall not share, sell, or transfer the information to any third party unless it is otherwise authorized by state or federal law.

(2) A person claiming an exemption under this subdivision has the burden of producing evidence to establish the exemption.

(c) A psychologist or psychological corporation, licensed pursuant to Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, that provides psychological assessment, career or occupational counseling, or consultation and related professional services within the scope of its practice.

(d) An educational psychologist, licensed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4980) of Chapter 13 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, who provides counseling services within the scope of his or her practice.

(e) A talent listing service, if all of the following apply:

(1) A majority interest in the service is owned by one or more colleges or universities, or alumni associations affiliated therewith, and each of the colleges or universities is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and a member organization of the Council of Postsecondary Accreditation.

(2) The service provides services exclusively for artists who are the alumni of colleges or universities specified in paragraph (1).

(3) The service does not require, as a condition to receiving services, an applicant to have completed courses or examinations beyond the requirements for graduation from the applicant's college or university specified in paragraph (1).

(4) More than 50 percent of the annual revenues received by the service are derived from paid subscriptions of prospective employers.

(f) A public library.

Article 4. Remedies

1704. A person, including, an owner, officer, director, agent, or employee of a talent service, who willfully violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. Each violation is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. However, payment of restitution to an artist shall take precedence over the payment of a fine.

1704.1. The Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney may institute an action for a violation of this chapter, including an action to restrain and enjoin a violation.

1704.2. A person who is injured by a violation of this chapter or by the breach of a contract subject to this chapter may bring an action for recovery of damages or to restrain and enjoin a violation, or both. The court shall award to a plaintiff who prevails in an action under this chapter reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The amount awarded for damages for a violation of this chapter shall be not less than three times the amount paid by the artist, or on behalf of the artist, to the talent service or the advance-fee talent representation service.

1704.3. The Labor Commissioner shall use the proceeds of a bond or deposit posted by a person pursuant to this chapter to satisfy a judgment or restitution order resulting from the person's violation of a provision of this chapter, if the person fails to pay all amounts required by the judgment or restitution order.

Article 5. General Provisions

1705. The provisions of this chapter are not exclusive and do not relieve a person subject to this chapter from the duty to comply with all other laws.

1705.1. The remedies provided in this chapter are not exclusive and shall be in addition to any other remedies or procedures provided in any other law, including Section 17500 of the Business and Professions Code.

1705.2. A waiver by an artist of the provisions of this chapter is deemed contrary to public policy and void and unenforceable. An attempt by a person or a talent service to have an artist waive his or her rights under this chapter is a violation of this chapter.

1705.3. If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the chapter and the application of that provision to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

1705.4. Compliance with this chapter does not satisfy and is not a substitute for the requirements mandated by any other applicable law, including the obligation to obtain a license under the Talent Agencies Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1700)), prior to procuring, offering, promising, or attempting to procure employment or engagements for artists.

SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.

Take a breath, review what is below
and read, research and study what you may need additional information or help
on below. Feel free to ask questions in class and/or contact the instructor.

There is more here than you will
need to learn and apply in the remainder of the term..

Do not be concerned, but do ask
questions, as some of this was never covered in class and will not be on the
exam...

Important review of lecture, notes,
text and common sense…

Thumbnail or Keynote Outline is a brief summary of your full
outline, with only the key points and only a word or few words per idea.

Full Outline and References, must have
APA referencing, including inside the outline itself as well as at the end of
the outline. It needs to use traditional outline format (I.; A ; 1, ; a ; I ;
etc.)

Narrative is a short summary of your speech,
no more than a page, preferably a short paragraph. It is a short version of an
abstract on your speech. See abstracts for academic or scholarly articles.

Developing Your Speech

Length:

The length of a speech is important

In the “real world” timing could be
crucial to an event

Shoot for minimum to middle length,
as most of the time you may say more than you intended or can stretch. Danger
is if you forget portions of your speech and cannot find a way to reach the
minimum length.

Name:

Use your name at least once or
twice, to humanize and personalize the speaker.

First Step:

Private purpose – your reason for
being interested in and wanting to do the speech. The stronger the better.
Passion and unseen Ethos and Pathos comes from this.

Public purpose- the reason for doing
the speech topic that you reveal to the audience. Your passion and interests
are then revealed to support your speech. Can be the same as private, but make
sure no one is endangered or hurt, including yourself, if you reveal the
private reason. Strongest choice is usually to reveal the private reason.

Thesis Statement- Your short, one
sentence statement that says what you want to say. The stronger, the better.

Next: Use scientific method of
thesis, conclusion, doing research in between, Change the conclusion or admit
you were wrong if that is what you find out.

Finally, prepare the speech, as
indicated in four chapters of the text,

Body first.

Conclusion than

Introduction.

Now do the outlines and above all
practice the speech.

You do not have to say everything
that is in your full outline.

Communication Model
Additional Info

The Power of the Receiver: Using
Screens to control information flow 1) Property. You own your attention and can
store it wherever you wish. You have CONTROL.

2) Mobility. You can securely move
your attention wherever you want whenever you want to. You have the ability to
TRANSFER your attention.

3) Economy. You can pay attention to
whomever you wish and receive value in return. Your attention has WORTH.

4) Transparency. You can see exactly
how your attention is being used. You can DECIDE whom you trust. When you give
your attention to any entity.

Any transmitter must understand the
codes, noise / filters / screens, objectives and objections of the intended
receiver.

In a world of mixed, multiple,
constant and intrusive messages it is best for both the transmitter and
receiver to remember the powers of property, mobility, economy and transparency
in communication transactions.

Must be key to speech and actually
used, not just presented to meet requirements.

Visual aids should reinforce and support
what you are presenting. They usually will be used ore exposed after
introducing the concept they support or reinforce.

PowerPoint is acceptable, but you
should never read the actual power point screen, you should be talking about
the concept just prior to it being exposed to the audience, should avoid
unneeded flash or distractions from your points and speech and should use an
additional visual or presentation aid (other than power point) for any
presentation. Avoid using computer presentation if possible and always arrange
in advance, as computer access in some classrooms may be limited. Always bring
your own computer and a connection to the television in the classroom as a back
up should projector not be available at the time requested. Remote controls are
also recommended.

Screen any questionable material
with teacher in advance. Use disclaimer if needed.

Visual Aids are the subset that can
be seen. Objects, posters, graphs, etc.

Icons: visual representations of an
idea, location or thing.

Using presentation aids:

Emphasize or explain key points or
overall topic.

Break down complex information.

Simplify complex images or unseen
images.

Substitute when necessary for having
actual objects or samples.

People have different learning
styles.

Use differencing senses, modes of
thinking, and differing skills at communication.

Visual learners need to see
information to best comprehend it.

Auditory learners need to hear the
information.

Kinesthetic learners

Presentation Aids

Presentation Aids are visual,
auditory or other material used to enhance or clarify your presentation
information. Be sure to review the Rules for Using Presentation Aids located on
pages 1054 t 105 in your text. Ask instructor questions in advance of working
on aids. Plan and rehearse you aids and allow time for drafts, changes and
comfort of presentation. Make sure your aids are ethical, add to the
presentation, and support a point or the overall message of the presentation.
Do a disclaimer if necessary (always see instructor in advance or risk point
loss or possible failure on the speech). Remember CCSN’s basic rules concerning
aids as presented in first lecture. See syllabus.

2.
Presentation aids are almost mandatory in most presentation settings
A. Keep audiences focused and interesting
B. Entertain or answer What’s In It for Me
C. Media society is use to multiple media I inputs and images
D. Greeks identified visual or presentation aids as a primary
element of communication

3.Kinds
of aids available are limited only to your imagination

1.People

1.Speaker
(not counted as an aid in your speech, but may be utilized)

2.Gestures,
actions, movement to illustrate ideas or transitions

3.Dress
and personal grooming to enhance or reinforce speech

4.Personal
Ethos

5.Other
People

6.Demonstrate
described activities

7.Illustrate
specific points or concepts

8.Testimony
(not too long and not make points for you)

9.Must
be willing and know what is expected of them

10.Small
enough to carry but large enough to see

11.Kept
out of sight until uses in the speech

12.Inanimate
make for better presentations than living things (live can distract or even
demand attention).

13.Be
wary of dangerous, illegal of rotationally offensive objects

14.Make
sure it helps make or illustrate a key point

15.Models
substitute when objects are too large, unavailable, hard to see, too valuable,
too fragile, too dangerous or too complex to bring to presentation or to
accurately represent the points and intent of the objects use in a
presentations

16.Models
are representative and usually made to scale

17.Models
make it easy for everyone to see and understand

18.Models
are used often in museum

2.Objects
and Models

4.Graphics
or graphic visual aids

1.Know
when to use each type illustrated in the text

2.Select
only what best assists in accurately illustrating or supporting your point.

1.Pie
Graphs show the size and proportion of a subject’s part in relation to each
other and to the whole

2.Bar
graphs show comparison and contrasts between two or more related items or
groups.

3.Line
graphs help to illustrate changes over time

4.Line
graphs are useful in indicating trends of growth or decline

5.Line
graphs can illustrate relationships between any two factors

6.When
plotting more than one line be certain that the audience can distinguish the
lines and understand how they represents differing trends or elements.

7.Mountain
Graphs are variations of line graphs that fill in the area below the line. It
is best used to accentuate the difference between two lines on the same graph
or to enhance the strength of a growth or declining trend.

6.Charts
provide summaries of processes and relationships

1.Often
charts are overly simplistic and should be used not as evidence but as a
representation of possible interpretations

2.Flow
charts are used to show steps in a process

3.Flow
charts can also be used to show power and responsibility relationships

4.Do
not clutter up a flow charts, instead use sequenced charts shown in succession.

5.Charts
can use icons, pictographs or other visually symbolic representations

7.Textual
Graphics are lists of phrases, words or numbers

1.Key
terms can assist audience in following complicated issues

2.Bulleted
lists work well with other graphics

3.Bulleted
lists help viewers prioritize and understand structure

4.Acronym
use letters from words (usually first letters) to implant ideas in the minds of
the audience that makes the speech more memorable.

5.Acronyms
may also represent organizations, ideas, idioms, jargon or shorthand for
complex conceptualizations in a variety of subjects.

6.Acronyms
must be explained at least once anytime they are used, because the same acronym
may have differing meanings to different groups

8.Photographs
and Pictures have advantages and disadvantages

1.Can
have distracting details

2.May
be too small or too subtle

3.Distracting
when passed around instead of large display

4.Can
take attention away from the speaker when not best time to do so

5.May
cause differing thoughts or emotions in different audience members

6.Can
be altered or taken out of context

7.“Is
worth a thousand words”

8.Can
be memorable and help reinforce concepts or points in a presentation

5.Media
For Presentation Aids

1.Flip
Charts

2.Posters
(use stock or board to keep stiff, non distracting and easy to see

3.Poster
Boards (same idea)

4.Handouts

1.Use
only when needed

2.Can
distract by having people read ahead or having too much information

3.Best
used with professional groups accustomed to working with handouts during
presentations or who require detailed written presentations

4.Can
be offered after speech for less of a distraction

5.Never
distribute handouts during the presentation (before or after only)

6.Allows
spontaneous adaptation to audience feedback

7.Can
be made as current and topical as necessary

8.Can
showcase bad handwriting or spelling skills

9.Dirty
or dusty process

10.May
lead speakers to put their backs to the audience

11.Helps
focus audience attention

12.Make
sure letters and graphics are large enough to be seen and understood

13.Do
not overuse chalkboard

5.Chalk
board (not counted as aid in your COM 110 speeches, but may be used as needed
or desired).

6.Overheads

1.Best
for a larger audience

2.Do
not completely darken the room

3.Make
sure they can be read and seen by audience

4.Keep
them simple and easy to read

5.Use
of pen allows revision or highlight during presentation

6.Allows
eye contact with the audience while slides are overhead

7.Simple
and easy to use visual reinforcement of the speech

8.Do
not overuse

9.Can
require speaker to stand by projector, limiting movement range and podium use

10.Always
check equipment ahead of time and be ready to go on without overheads if
necessary (true of all presentation aids).

11.Do
not substitute overheads for actual speaker to audience contact or
presentation.

7.Slides

1.Best
in a large presentation situation

2.Must
darken room, limits notes and eye contact

3.Clearer
and crisper than overheads

4.Best
for photographic presentations or art work

5.Cost
and availability may become an issues

8.Audio

1.Strong
potential pathos and mythos

2.Can
assist in mood, flow and pace

3.Can
authenticate

4.Excellent
way for secondary ethos (interviews, etc.)

5.Can
gain or maintain audience interests

6.Use
with specific care to subject matter

7.Do
not talk over lyrics or words

8.Take
care with volume,

9.Take
care with language,

10.Keep
in mind audience sensibilities

9.Video

1.Strongest
potential

2.Must
be specific and to the point being made

3.Keep
length from dominating speech

4.Can
authenticate presentation

5.Adds
variety to presentation

6.Appealing
to video generation

7.Sound,
movement, light, graphics included

8.Can
transport the audience to other locations

9.Potential
strong for pathos and mythos

10.Potential
strong for secondary ethos

11.Keep
short and carefully cued and edited

12.Be
ready to go if video equipment fails or not available

10.Computer
Generated

1.Danger
of overuse

2.Danger
of ethical misuse

3.Danger
of distracting from speaker

4.Strong
ability to merge other aids

5.Strong
ability to make smaller images seen

6.Strong
ability to reinforce points graphically

7.Easy
and abundance of tools available

8.Most
all presentation tools can be augmented, altered, prepared, edited or in other
ways complimented or polished using computers

5.Negative
is never to attack, belittle, undermine or to create or reinforce false
information or images. Negative critique is to help the speaker or listener
look at their own views or styles and find ways to improve. Points out what is
wrong does not have to be attack or harmful.

6.Core
Values

1.Truth

2.Ethics

3.Honesty

4.Reason

5.Avoid plagiarism

6. Improve listening skills

7. Freedom of expression

1.Diversity
of expression

2.Cultural
diversity

3.Diversity
of perspective

4.Tolerance
of Dissent

5.First
Amendment of the Constitution

I. –isms (sexism, ageism, racism,
etc.) build walls and as such are unethical in public speaking

Solidarity.

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A library of links and information awaits if you scan down and find what interests you!

Student Centered

Art Lynch is a GREAT teacher and person. I have learned so very much from Art's classes. His classes are informative and fun, so we learn so much more! Art supports us on all of our projects too, and goes out of his way to help us achieve our goals!

Corey Taylor

Art Lynch's SAG ACTOR

Art Lynchartlynchcoaching@gmail.com

(702) 682-0469 / 454-1067

*Acting lessons and coaching available.

Judge Art Lynch

Nevada SAG-AFTRA Contact

Julie Crane,

720.932.8193

or Julie.crane@sagaftra.org

Coming 2015

Art Lynch and Joshua David McLerran

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Mission Statement

THIS BLOG PROVIDES INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IN ALL LEVELS OF THEIR CRAFT. THIS BLOG HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD OR SAG-AFTRA OTHER THAN ITS AUTHOR/EDITOR IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE GUILD AND UNION.

Why Study? She went to Yale.

Lupita Nyong'o accepts the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role award for '12 Years A Slave' onstage during the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Auditions are yours not theirs..

An audition is exactly what you make it. It can either be a wonderful learning experience from which you will gain insights and knowledge. . . or it can be something you dread and that stresses you out completely. It's really up to you. But remember, auditions are an intricate part of the performing world. Don't you agree it would be best to make them your "friend”?

-by Penny Abshire

Senior Producer—The Commercial Clinic

How to find auditions

Work in Nevada requires hustling, study and the tools.

Recently a student asked me where should they go to audition.

My answers:

Keep up on this and other blogs.

Network with friends and filmmakers.

Ask others at the audition to add you to their lists to contact about auditions.

SAGAFTRA

This blog is not affiliated with SAG-AFTRA but applauds the members of both unions for voting to merge into one union. While pro-union, this blog provides information and opportunities for those in all levels of their craft, including the full range of professions now covered by the merged union. Links and lessons scan all the way down, slowly. Full disclaimer and some tips on safe use scan to the bottom.

Other private and small group classes are available through Lynch Coaching, Boulder City Parks and Rec, or Directly at my or your home. Skype available from anywhere. Travel, incuding in town, may include additional fees for time and transportation. Free consultation and sometimes lessons are available.

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Life is...Danny Kaye

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ArtLynch has 20 years of serving actors and talent on the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA) working at the national, regional and local levels for all actors, background artist and performers.

He has been an actor, voice artist, broadcaster and educator his entire life, earning a BA in Theater, MA and a Ph.D.

Art Lynch teaches at Lynch Coaching (702-682-0469), Hollywood Access, the College of Southern Nevada, the University of Phoenix, Nevada State College and for the Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department. He can be heard Sundays on Nevada Public Radio (includes 88-9 KNPR). Contact him at artlynchcoaching@gmail.com or (702) 682-0469.

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Art Lynch as "Kaldur"

Reference

"I've known Art for ten years or so and have great respect for his knowledge of the industry. His perspectives are always fresh and demonstrate how much he has studied not only the craft of acting and directing, but also the "business" of show. My highest recommendations for Art!"

-Dave CoreyAward winning actor and voice artist

"I've know Art for many years. We serve together on the Board of SAG-AFTRA (formerly SAG). Art is a great guy with much intergrity. He never bows to pressure but stands for what's right. He's dedication to his fellow actors is admirable, and is relentless in his efforts to protect the union and its membership."

-Marc BarronNYC actor, voice artist

"I have known Art for about 25 years. He is extremely knowledgeable in all areas of show business. He is devoted to his craft and is concerned about the welfare of his fellow artists. I can wholeheartedly recommend him as a Coach, consultant, and for his talent.

Help others by expanding use of this blog!

This site: SAG Actor, is not related to any other site with similar names and is not directly affiliated with the Screen Actors Guild. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect other individuals or organizations.

Please remember to click on the "older posts" tab at the bottom of the left hand column, or to scan the right hand column for links and older posta. They may still be valid or of value to you as a reader/user of this blog.

About Me

Actor, Casting Director, Director, Broadcaster, Writer, Singer, Artistic
Director, Dramatur, Producer, Professor, Coach, Husband, Grandfather, Marketing
Professional and life long student Art Lynch joined the staff of John Robert
Powers in 1999. Lynch is also an adjunct professor at the Community College of
Southern Nevada, the Morning Edition Weekend Host for Nevada Public Radio and
one of 67 individuals who represent 126,000 actors as a member of the Board of
Directors of the Screen Actors Guild. He is the past president of the Nevada
Branch of the Screen Actors Guild and of the Professional Audio/Visual Communications
Association. A resident of Nevada since 1984, Lynch has an MA in Communications
from UNLV and a BA in Theater, Speech and Mass Communications from the
University of Illinois, Chicago. He is currently pursuing post-graduate studies
in theater, education and the entertainment industry. Art Lynch studied and
practiced the craft of acting in Chicago and California before settling in
Nevada. With his wife Laura, Art owned and operated a successful marketing
company with national clientele. Art was personally responsible for casting and
directing over 1,000 commercials and industrials, as well as assisting on film
and television projects in many ways. His career also includes earning awards
as a wire service, magazine and broadcast journalist. He is most proud,
however, of his daughters. Ann is a PhD in neuroscience and Beth is the proud
mother of his grandchildren, Evan and Elijah.

Let us promote you

Send you photos, updates on work you are doing, press releases, audition notifications, comments or commentary to dr.artlynch@gmail. We reserve the right to make editorial decisions based on our own criteria. Material on the blog is sent to other blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other services free of charge to help boost our artistic communities.

Full SAG-AFTRA Merger Plan Links

Access to Casting Directors

Casting Access Project (CAP) Online is a new program of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation which allows SAG-AFTRA actors from all over the country direct access to casting directors from NYC and LA.

Once the SAG Foundation has verified SAG-AFTRA members’ eligibility, they will be able to RSVP for online instruction by a casting director. Participants’ headshots will be sent to a casting director, who will choose sides for them. The actors will upload their video for the casting director to view and they will receive notes on their performance from the casting director.

CAP Online and all of the programs of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation are offered at no-cost to SAG-AFTRA members. In order to participate in CAP Online, SAG-AFTRA members must log-in to the SAG Foundation website, create a username and password and complete the online orientation at

Bio

Art has a PhD in Education, Masters in Communication, and Bachelors in Speech-Theater-Mass Communication, with an additional two years of post graduate work in theater. He grew up in Chicago and developed an interest in high school in theater and journalism. His high school, Oak Park River Forest, is well known for its active theater arts program, producing internationally known performers. He also worked on the school newspaper. These early interests influenced his college and career choices. While at University of Illinois, Chicago he managed the college radio station and participated in theater. After graduation he worked in radio, doing stints as a reporter, news director and operations manager in several states, winning awards along the way. He also stayed active in theater and film (particularly musical theater). He developed and coordinated the Las Vegas branch of the Screen Actors Conservatory. He has served on SAG National Board of Directors for the past 18 years. He left journalism and broadcasting and worked in advertising and public relations, founding a successful, award- winning boutique agency. He discovered his love for teaching, which allows him to employ both his performance and journalistic aptitudes, and has taught at both public and private colleges. He continues to pursue theater and film as an actor and teacher, and works Sundays at the public radio station, KNPR. He now lives in the small, historic town of Boulder City, Nevada, close to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. He completed his dissertation researching the 31ers Education Program, which keeps alive the history of Boulder City. He also serves on the Dam Short Film Festival Board in Boulder City.

Time to take a stand

In Wisconsin and around our country, the American Dream is under fierce attack.

Although Screen Actors Guild is a non-partisan organization, and therefore does not take positions on some of the demands of Save the American Dream, we unequivocally stand together with them, and with all working families, to end the attacks on worker’s rights.

If collective bargaining rights can be stripped away in a strong union state like Wisconsin, it can happen anywhere.

Various anti-labor bills have recently been introduced in dozens of states. It is believed that if this action succeeds in Wisconsin, more and more anti-union efforts may spread across the country and ultimately could affect all labor organizations, including Screen Actors Guild.

All workers have a fundamental right to join unions and to engage in collective bargaining over workplace issues they face.

Disclaimer

The resources listed herein are posted for informational purposes only. The authors of this blog are not affiliated with, nor do they endorse, sponsor or guarantee any of the above resources or any of the information, advice, services or other resources obtained through these resources. All information and content on this blog is for informational purposed only and not to be taken as legally vetted journalism or endorsed in any way by the authors of this blog, the Screen Actors Guild, College of Southern Nevada or any other entity implied or mentioned on this blog. No guarantee of any kind is made as to the accuracy or suitability of these resources or the qualifications of any companies or individuals affiliated with them.The links and resources listed herein are posted for informational purposes only. The author of this blog is not affiliated with, nor does he endorse, sponsor or guarantee any of the above resources or any of the information, advice, services or other resources obtained through these resources. All information and content on this blog is for informational purposed only. No guarantee of any kind is made as to the accuracy or suitability of these resources or the qualifications of any companies or individuals affiliated with them. The opinions mentioned herein are those of the author and in no way represent the opinions of The Screen Actors Guild, SAG-AFTRA or any other organization.

Removal of Material from this blog

SAGACTORONLINE will remove post on request. We need to know the date, article title and subject matter, plus the name and interests of the person requesting removal and a phone number.

This blog has massive amounts of archive and links, so specifics are needed with any removal request, not generalities or non-specific addresses. If provided we can and will remove or correct any material as requested.

Nothing in this blog is sacred or can be taken as "fact". Most of the material is from other sources (always identified) with some personal material by Art Lynch or another associate, using bylines to identify the author.

We also print the opinion and advice of others, who may have views or inferences of their own to share.

If material is out of date or wrong, we will remove it or provide a correction. We are also open to articles penned by others provided they provide the required author material confirmation.

We never mean to imply that any service, school, teacher, agent or operative in the industry is in any way operating other than in good faith. We will provide links to or reprint material from the news organizations (see disclaimer at the bottom of this blog) we survey for updates and information.

Scams in the Entertainment Industry

There are many unscrupulous companies trying to take advantage of actors. Don’t believe it if it’s...too good to be true.

You’ve seen them: those ads stapled onto telephone poles and plastered all over the pages of those throwaway neighborhood newspapers. They promise the moon, the stars and a shot at the big time, but rarely deliver even a pinch of stardust. “Audition for Bob! casting director of the hit TV show…” “Read for Bill, superstar talent agent at…” “Jim, personal manager of top actors, such as Steve and Susan, will be looking for new talent…” For those struggling to get a break, these meetings may seem to be the way to get that long-sought meeting with the big guys, the chance to be seen by casting agents, to work with directors, to be spotted by managers and agents. Sadly, most of them turn out to be a waste of time and money, if not an outright scam calculated to separate you from your hard-earned money.

There are certainly many legit companies that offer a chance to meet and read for casting agents and directors in a classroom setting; but be aware that if any fee is charged for these sessions, your participation may be in violation of SAG-AFTRA Rule 11 or California Labor Laws.

SAG-AFTRA Rule 11

Section 11 of the SAG-AFTRA Rules and Regulations states, in part: It shall likewise be deemed conduct unbecoming a member for any member of the union, directly or indirectly, to give or offer to give any money, gift, gratuity or other thing of value to an employer, or prospective employer, to any officer, agent, representative or employee of such employer or prospective employer, or to any employment or casting agency representing an employer, or prospective employer, or to any of their officers, agents, representatives or employees as an inducement to secure employment. This rule shall not apply to prohibit the payment of lawful commissions to motion picture agents holding franchises from SAG-AFTRA.

If you are asked to pay a fee or give any form of compensation to audition for a casting director, producer, agent, manager, or anyone else that has any input into the hiring process, please contact Terri Becherer, Director, Background Actors at (323) 549-6809 to report the incident. This includes workshop-style situations where a casting director watches your scene or monologue, offers no meaningful critique or feedback, and is presented as someone looking for actors for “current and upcoming projects.” This becomes a paid audition, which is against SAG-AFTRA rules.

California State Labor Code prohibits employers or potential employers from demanding payment for employment opportunities; you should contact your state labor board to inquire whether they have similar laws. The Hollywood office has notified the California Labor Department about violations of this section, and Guild members should likewise not hesitate to contact their state or their SAG-AFTRA Local regarding violations. The more people that stand up and protest these practices, the more likely it is that action will be taken.

Now, there are certainly legitimate classes offered by casting directors and producers. The difference is that these classes are in fact ongoing, “traditional” acting classes, during which acting instruction is offered rather than being simply a one-time paid audition. California recently set guidelines for casting director workshops to distinguish the legit ones from those that, for a fee, offer only a vague hope of being remembered for some future role. California members can get a copy of the guidelines by contacting the California Labor Department, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Department of Industrial Relations.

Here are a few examples of what SAG-AFTRA considers to be paid auditions:

Don't Pay Reality Shows

Reality shows have taken over the television airwaves and with them yet another twist on the This-Is-Your-Big-Break-If-You-Have-$50 theme. Typical of these new schemes is a company that faxed the Guild recently asking staff to contact our members to urge them to audition for a talent-search program geared towards actors. The come-on was that those chosen would be seen by millions, including, it would seem, casting directors, producers, agents, and managers. And all for a small fee that is refunded should the actor make it past the first cut. A good deal, right? When the Guild attempted to contact this company to clarify the set up, we did not get a response: no call, no email, and no letter. We can only conclude that this was an attempt to get money from actors—one that may have netted the company a hefty amount of money from those who sent in their application fee. Also, be aware that some of these reality shows are made under AFTRA contracts for which you may or may not have to become an AFTRA member. Check with the SAG-AFTRA membership department before accepting work.

Don't Pay Fees

Another example of questionable practices are seemingly legit background casting companies that advertise for inclusion in a national database of pictures to be used in future projects that film in various parts of the country, generally where SAG has no background jurisdiction and where filming is rare. These companies charge a fee to be listed in their databank, and tell you that they will let you know when filming is coming to your area. SAG has been notified about such companies putting ads in papers in places like Montana and Virginia. Some of these companies will tell you that you must send in money to “hold your place” in the film. Some of these companies may even hold interviews and auditions for films, but you have to pay an up-front fee to register for the interview. One company recently solicited headshots from actors in Atlanta and Minneapolis – the pitch was that they were going to cast in both cities for a Hollywood film. For a $25 fee, actors were given an appointment date and time to try out for the movie. Problem was that the Atlanta auditions were canceled and the Minneapolis auditions turned out to be a total sham. Those who went not only did not get seen for a part, but they lost $25. Again, some of these are in fact legitimate auditions for films, but it is always a good idea to contact your local SAG office to find out.

Don't Pay Producers

Every so often we hear of a producer that offers a role in a film to anyone who will contribute money towards the financing, anywhere from the starring role if you finance the whole thing to bit parts for those who do not have lots to give. If you see ads for such projects, please contact Gavin Troster of the Hollywood office at 323/549-6809 to report such a practice.

Don't Pay Casting Agencies

We all know that casting online is the wave of the future. Pictures and resumes posted on-line. Casting submissions entered with a keystroke. Resumes revised with just a few clicks. No more messengers. No more cutting and stapling. No more running all over town. Can’t be bad, can it? Well, actually, yes it can. Certain casting agencies are charging agents, managers or talent fees to post headshots and resumes online. Or worse yet, they are charging for every revision to a resume or photo. Some even go so far as to electively make their services available to a selective group, thus limiting performers’ access to casting sessions. Screen Actors Guild is fully aware of these abusive trends and is taking action with state labor commissions to examine these business practices. However, changes take time. In the meantime, be very careful about illegal fee practices. Know all the facts before parting with your money.

If you have any questions regarding the legitimacy of workshops or auditions, contact your SAG-AFTRA Local or Terri Becherer, Director, Background Actors at (323) 549-6809.

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How to avoid or minimize the potential for scams

Since this blog reproduced notices and does not originate many of the messages, please take precautions on responding of auditioning. Some common sense rules (from Craigslist and other sources). You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:

DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scams.

DO NOT PAY TO AUDITION OR TO BE IN A PRODUCTION - while there are charities and "points" on various entertainment productions, a safe rule is to be very careful with your money and always to due diligence first.

WORK UNDER UNION CONTRACTS- SAG, AFTRA, Equity, AGVA and AGMA contracts protect talent in many ways. Always contact the union office if you have questions about a productions signatory status.

WORK THROUGH A UNION AGENT OR STATE LICENCED TALENT AGENCY- there are protections in place including bonding and background checks Check with the union and the state to confirm status if there is any doubt.

NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.

FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.